Saturday, December 04, 2010

Demanding Gratification!

After dropping my friend back home, I saw this person tapping the window of my car begging for money. I am not the kind who donates money, especially to people who begs at junctions, but that day was different. I removed a 10 rupee note and gave it to his extended hand.

I don’t know what I was expecting from the gesture but to be honest I didn’t feel anything. Why is ‘no feeling’ disappointing?

Why do people give alms? Isn’t it some kind of a trade or a transaction between two people? The person giving alms expects gratitude, expects happiness in helping someone, or expects that smile/reaction from the other person, while the person receiving alms expects money for showing that reaction, for making the giver feel happy about it. But why was it that I felt indifferent to the entire process?

Why is it that we do what we do? What do our actions speak about us? Where does it all lead us? What is the end goal? - Gratification! The actions, reactions, non-actions all in one way or other searching in its own unique way for ‘gratification’.

At what point of time do we expect gratification? Do we indulge in short-term ones or long-term ones? One which involves a short cut or a longer definite path? Should one expect gratification when one initiates a task or an action, or while executing it or when one completes it?

Completion? When does one decide a task is completed or not?

It’s the intention that matters? It’s the participation that matters? It’s the journey that matters? Whom are we fooling?